Wedding officiant charged with credit card fraud

Wednesday

NEWPORT — A local nondenominational minister accused of fraudulently using a credit card stolen from a guest at a wedding ceremony where he officiated is facing a felony and two other charges.

James C. Stern, 39, of 47 Gormley Ave., Portsmouth, is a top-rated officiant on theknot.com who states on his website that “I have helped make hundreds of couples’ dreams come true.”

But on Wednesday morning in Newport District Court, Stern entered no plea to a Portsmouth police felony charge of fraudulent use of a credit card in the amount of over $100. Stern also pleaded innocent to a misdemeanor charge of larceny under $1,500 from Newport police and a misdemeanor charge of fraudulent use of a credit card under $100 from Middletown police.

A 29-year-old woman from Lindenhurst, New York, reported to Newport police that her purse was stolen while she was staying at the bridal room of a Newport hotel for her friend’s wedding. The purse contained $200 in cash and her debit/credit card. She contacted hotel security when she realized her purse was missing. Then she began to receive alerts on her cellphone that purchases were being made on her credit card in Fall River, Massachusetts, Middletown and Portsmouth while she was attending the wedding.

Newport police obtained surveillance video at the CVS Pharmacy on Turnpike Avenue in Portsmouth which shows Stern allegedly purchasing a gift card in the amount of $206.95.

Stern, whose wedding vendor company is called An Amazing Day, was voted Best Officiant in Newport County, Best Photo Booth in Newport County and Best Overall Wedding Vendor Statewide 2017 in Newport Wedding Magazine.

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